Lions sign-up MTN as new title sponsor – South Africa Rugby news
The Golden Lions have secured a new three-year contract for a title sponsor with cellular company, MTN. The announcement of MTN being the new sponsor of the Lions’ Super Rugby team came to today when the cellular company confirmed that it had signed a title
sponsorship contract with the Johannesburg franchise. SA mobile service MTN has muscled in its traditional rival Vodacom for the rugby sponsorship.
Vodacom settled on cutting back its sponsorship for Lions last year, when wholesale call termination rates were subordinated to cut costs. It seems like Vodacom will continue with sponsorship deals with popular teams like Pretoria’s Blue Bulls.
The officials have not yet uncovered the value of the sponsorship, but it is assumed to be around 20 million dollars a year for the coming three years. MTN has come back into rugby sponsorship after a gap of 13 years. Their last sponsor was for Falcons team
in East Rand.
Robert Gumede, the chairman of Lions said, “This initial three-year MTN contract will enable the union to continue attracting some of the best local rugby talent.” In South Africa, rugby is sponsored by other cellular companies as well and has helped attract
foreign based South African players to come back to their country to play.
Gumede added, “We will also be in a position to bring back a number of South African foreign-based players to play for a professional and transformed team, and make them available for Springbok selection.”
Sponsorship from MTN is a welcome addition to the team. The squad is extensively projected to return to for this year’s Currie Cup and Super 15 tournaments, after several years of substandard results. Neither MTN nor rugby union is expected to reveal the
value of the sponsorship.
This step is considered a positive note for the club and MTN chief marketing believes that Lions are the right partners for the company. He stated, “Both the sport of rugby and the Golden Lions are going through an exciting transformation and as MTN, we
are pleased to be integrally involved in this positive change."
This surely is a positive step and Lions expect this to work out their way in order to keep the club going with a winning mindset, thanks to their new sponsor.
Tags: